Sultanpur National Park gets AI-powered cameras to track birds, migration trends

Three watchtowers now have cameras that can identify birds from 200-300 metres, with officials expecting more consistent data during migration season.

Sultanpur National Park has added an artificial intelligence-powered monitoring system, with three watchtowers equipped with artificial intelligence-enabled cameras to identify bird species and track their movements and migration patterns, wildlife officials told HT.

The cameras became operational earlier this month and can identify birds from distances of up to 200 to 300 metres, officials said. The technology will allow officials to monitor a wider area of the wetland and generate more consistent data on migratory birds, they added.

RK Jangra, divisional forest officer (wildlife), Gurugram, said the system would strengthen the department’s database on migratory birds. “With winter approaching, October to December is the peak migration season. These cameras will help us closely monitor the birds and add more information to our database. The park has around 30 to 35 cameras,” he said.

Officials said the AI-based system, the source of which was not disclosed, marks a shift from the traditional method of counting and identifying birds through birdwatchers, which relies on periodic visual surveys. They said continuous camera-based monitoring could help identify species as they arrive, track their movements over longer periods and capture bird activity that may be missed during manual surveys.

The project has been implemented at a cost of ₹1 crore, officials said.

To be sure, Sultanpur National Park has been identified as important under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in May 2021. Officials said around 250 bird species have been reported from the park, including bar-headed goose, northern pintail, common teal, gadwall, common pochard and northern shoveler.

However, the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2025 recorded 2,593 migratory birds belonging to 48 species, compared with 2,686 birds across 43 species in 2024 and 9,026 birds across 51 species in 2023.

Jangra told HT that visitors will be allowed free entry to Sultanpur National Park from October 2 to 8 for Wildlife Week celebrations. He said the park, which remains shut annually from June 1 to September 30, will reopen from October 1.